Where do the good ideas come from? In this column, we offer our readers the opportunity to learn about — and benefit from — some of the cutting-edge technologies being implemented by law enforcement colleagues around the world.

Ben Hill County Receives $100,000 Grant for Digital Ally Cameras

Dashboard cameras have proven to be valuable tools for law enforcement officers. They are effective in court, often giving jurors eyewitness views of a crime as it unfolds. For a small agency like the Ben Hill County Sheriff’s Office, though, funding is limited. Last summer, Sheriff Bobby McLemore applied for a $100,000 grant to help purchase much needed video equipment for all patrol cars. Officers in Ben Hill County now are armed with new, state-of-the-art Digital Ally video systems, thanks to that grant.

“Federal grants are really important to small agencies like ours,” said Investigator Patrick Hogan, Ben Hill County Sheriff’s Office.

In February, technicians began installing high-tech video systems in 20 patrol cars, which experts say are more reliable than the old bulky VHS systems.

Investigators say the camera will enhance the department’s effectiveness in a number of ways.

The cameras will help tremendously in DUI cases by allowing judges and juries to see exactly what the officer witnessed at the time of the arrest. Any time Ben Hill officers turn on their vehicle lights, the cameras begin rolling—and even record one minute in advance. Therefore, if an officer is sitting at a red light and witnesses someone driving through it, the video will capture the violation before the officer turns on the vehicle’s lights and siren to pull over the offender.

The system also has a backseat camera and a special GPS mark button, so if a violator throws a piece of evidence out the window, responding officers can locate it.

In a dedication ceremony in February, Carbon Motors Corporation marked the beginning of its efforts to fulfill its commitment to provide jobs to residents of southeastern Indiana. At its newly unveiled Carbon Campus, Carbon Motors will produce for the Connersville Police Department the Carbon E7, the world’s first purpose-built law enforcement patrol vehicle, in addition to working to fight unemployment in the area.

The police department will be housed on the Carbon Campus.

The city of Connersville and areas surrounding Fayette County are experiencing record high unemployment rates of more than 16 percent. Mayors from nearby cities, county commissioners, law enforcement officers, and citizens eager to rebuild the region attended the Carbon Campus unveiling event.

“In my 34 years of law enforcement, I have not seen another company so dedicated to improving the face of policing as the team at Carbon Motors,” said David Counceller, chief of police, City of Connersville Police Department. “I commend the state of Indiana for taking a stand against unemployment, saving taxpayers money, and paving the way toward improving officer safety.”

Carbon Motors will be putting state funds to use to begin hiring people to refurbish its 183-acre, 1.8-million-square-foot industrial site.

The Caterpillar TL1255 Telehandler can be operated remotely from a distance of up to 1 mile, has a forward reach of more than 40 feet, an extension height of 50 feet, and a lift capacity of 12,000 pounds. Armed with these new capabilities, first responders and special weapons and tactics (SWAT) teams can more effectively respond to emergency situations, including explosive ordnance disposal, hazardous material response (HAZMAT), and port security.

The Telehandler is Remotec’s first offering from a new heavy-duty line of roboticized construction-grade equipment.

“The remote and robotic features of the Telehandler have significantly improved the operational capability of the LAPD Bomb Squad,” said Lieutenant Rick Smith, LAPD Bomb Squad commander. “Safety for the public and for our officers is our No. 1 priority; this robot protects our bomb technicians while we protect the public during emergency situations.”

For more than 20 years, Remotec has been keeping danger at a distance by providing rugged and dependable hazardous duty robotics for military, HAZMAT, law enforcement, SWAT, and other first responder applications worldwide. Based in Clinton, Tennessee, Remotec is the largest provider of robots to the first responder market.

Autonomous Solutions is a market leader in vehicle automation and multi-vehicle command and control.

From The Police Chief, vol. LXXVII, no. 4, April 2010. Copyright held by the International Association of Chiefs of Police, 515 North Washington Street, Alexandria, VA 22314 USA.

The official publication of the International Association of Chiefs of Police.
The online version of the Police Chief Magazine is possible through a grant from the IACP Foundation. To learn more about the IACP Foundation, click here.